The non-fiction book “Berlin: the Downfall 1945” is a narrative story written by Antony Beevor, originally published in 2002. The book is set in the last five months of World War II in Europe, with a major focus on the Battle of Berlin. It achieved both critical and commercial success largely due to Beevor's groundbreaking access to previously undisclosed Russian communist-era archives, which gave him unique insight into the conflict, as he was able to gain a Russian perspective, which had not been seen. in previous work on this period. The endearing nature of Beevor's book lies in the stories he found during his research and the little anecdotes inserted throughout, which give the work its more personal and human touch. It tells the reader stories of civilians, the difficulties they faced and the terrible atrocities committed against them. It is through this that Beevor shows not only the political and military ramifications of war, but also the impact of war on the lives of ordinary people. In particular, it is his discovery of the mass rapes of German women by the Red Army that leaves a truly lasting impact and sets this work apart from all others of this period. A good historian is one who does not deny the truth. This is part of what makes it a great historical work. Beevor was not afraid to write about such a sensitive topic despite the potential controversy that might ensue. He made sure to be objective about the issues addressed, which is vital for a great work of history, as Leopold Von Ranke stated: "he [the historian] will have no preconceived ideas like the philosopher. In recent years, popular history books are those that focus on the impact of war on ordinary people – social history. For a historian of this generation, sales are key. Beevor knew he had to add something new to a topic that had been discussed many times before this work. That's what he surely did. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The work is considered a form of narrative military history, but also acts as social history. In Beevor's story, one of its main storylines is the fall of the Nazi regime – hence the title. He opens the work in the preface with a quote from Albert Speer that "history always emphasizes terminal events...he hated the idea that the early achievements of Hitler's regime would be obscured by its final collapse" . As this is the first point that Beevor chooses to make in his work, we can assume that it will be one of his key arguments. That said, nothing reveals “…more about political leaders and their systems than how they were overthrown.” Beevor finally concludes his work with a follow-up to Speer that: "The senseless massacre which resulted from Hitler's outrageous vanity completely belies Speer's regret that history must emphasize 'terminal events.' The incompetence, the frenzied refusal to accept reality and the inhumanity of the Nazi regime were all too clearly revealed by his death.” Based on the four different approaches to historical narrative proposed by Hayden White, Berlin would fall into the category of a “mechanistic” historical narrative. This approach according to White is one that "presents events in order to seek reasons, causes and effects, both themselves and, more broadly, on life in general - the idea of ​​'lessons of the 'history " ". THENarratives and stories often have some sort of lesson behind them, and Beevor's work, as a historical narrative, is no different. In the preface to the book, Beevor addresses this idea of ​​“history lessons” presented in the mechanistic approach. He writes: “This decisive moment for millions of people still has much to teach us. An important lesson is to be extremely wary of any generalizations about the conduct of individuals. » Extreme suffering and degradation can bring out the best and worst in human nature. Beevor commented in an article he wrote that this period of World War II revealed "how thin the veneer of civilization can be when there is little fear of reprisal." Great acts of kindness were shown on both sides, but the terrible atrocities committed during this period remain largely remembered. Despite the grueling details Beevor goes into regarding military and political activities, his form and writing style is quite effective and entertaining. This can largely be attributed to the added little anecdotes and stories that not only influence its storyline, but also provide insight into how the war affected the life of a specific individual. A memorable anecdote that influenced his screenplay was a quote from a British soldier who wrote in his diary: "I will absolutely forgive the Russians anything they do to this country when they arrive." Absolutely anything. It is clearly a deliberate choice here by Beevor to have this quote to show the state of mind of the soldiers at this stage of the war and to put the terrible atrocities committed into context. Beevor's unprecedented access to communist-era Russian archives appears to have shaped the purpose of his work. After three years of research and analysis, its stated goal was to present newly discovered information and shed great light on a shocking and hidden truth. According to British historian Richard J. Evans, "few authors have contributed as much to this process of rethinking as the British military historian Antony Beevor." This “recast” he refers to changes the way World War II is perceived. It was considered the "good war", but in recent years this has been called into question. The reason for this perception was due to the seemingly "clearer" moral divide between the two sides than was supposed to exist during the First World War. With the discovery of previously hidden information about the atrocities committed, they can no longer be known as such. Evans claims that Beevor was one of the pioneers in changing perceptions of World War II and that his books such as Berlin and Stalingrad certainly showed that atrocities were committed on both sides and that there was great hypocrisy in the writings of the victors. Beevor's goal is to produce work that changes people's perspective on this particular historical event and inform them of the real truth he has discovered. He could undoubtedly be considered a revisionist historian, particularly in his work and at Stalingrad. Through his meticulous research, he was able to uncover many shocking facts, but Beevor does not condemn either side, as he believes it is "intellectually dishonest." Beevor presents evidence and reasons why the atrocities took place, but does not attempt to justify them. Beevor adds that the drunkenness of the disorderly Red Army was part of the reason for what happened, "but revenge can only be part of the explanation...once the soldiers had drunk l alcohol in them, the nationality of their prey hardly matteredof difference. » As he himself declared, "the duty of the historian is to understand and to transmit this understanding, rather than to make moral judgments." He managed to accomplish this in a story that deals with some very heavy and disturbing content. The purpose of a historian has changed throughout history, and in this generation, part of the purpose of a historian is to sell. If a modern historian chooses to rehash a topic already written about, he must add something new and fresh that previous historians have not done. This is why Beevor's book was so successful. The thematic area of ​​his work has already been covered, but he has managed to write a book that sheds completely new light on this period. Nicolas Kinloch noted that Beevor's use of Russian sources countered the "overreliance on German sources that had marred earlier accounts of the fall of the British Empire."Berlin." Part of his strength lies in his access to Russian sources, which he acquired through Russian archives from the communist era. In past generations, the history of women in society was rarely written, because the values ​​of the time demanded it and were part of it. of history this could be neglected This is no longer the case and it is a question, as the feminist writer Linda Gordan says, of "repainting the images of the past", so that the public of today. Today understands the true history of our society. Beevor's work certainly follows this idea of ​​"repainting" history. The text reveals the terrible atrocities committed against innocent women of all ages during this period. another reason for its success, due to the rise of feminism in the late 20th century and 21st century. Revisionist histories and first-hand accounts of what really happened during the war have shaped people's perspectives on the war. . People are now more interested in stories that focus largely on ordinary people and how individuals are affected by war. Beevor himself claimed that “war has always been described in impersonal and collective terms; “the country”, the division, “the army…” and what this has always made us forget in the past is the magnitude of the effect and also the duration of this effect. There is no family in the Soviet Union, Poland or Germany that has not lost at least one close relative [in the war].” American military historian David M. Glantz wrote: "Beevor's work excels at social rather than operational history. » In the age of popular history, social history seems to be what sells and Beevor's work is as much social history as it is military and operational history. Today, many people buy historical books to become interested in history by reading narratives and personal stories. Although important and often laborious military details are present, for example the specific movements of the 8th Guards army, Beevor's work has a human and individual touch important enough to keep people reading. What really separates Antony Beevor from other historians is not necessarily his historical skills, but his abilities as a meticulous researcher. Beevor spent three years compiling the material for this book, then a year writing it, much of that time spent analyzing and then extrapolating as much information as he could, from the Russian archives of the communist era. He was able to obtain testimony from Red Army soldiers themselves and states that "time and again [Red Army soldiers]... openly admitted not only that Russian troops were raping German women, but that they even violatedtheirs.” He also found the writings of Soviet war correspondent and historian Vassily Grossman, and Beevor writes that "Grossman did not hide unpleasant truths...even if he was never able to publish them." The fact that he wrote against the Red Army makes him a valuable source. Grossman's controversial works were published after his death and the KGB ensured that they were not made available to the public. Beevor notes, however, that the evidence of this mass rape "...is certainly not limited to Vassily Grossman's unpublished notebooks alone." Grossman is obviously an important and valuable source for Beevor, but by saying he is not the only Russian to comment on the rape, it adds credibility to the claim of mass rape by the Red Army. He quotes the playwright Zakhar Agranenko who wrote in his diary while serving as a marine officer in East Prussia that they "...rape them on a collective basis." Beevor interviewed Red Army veterans himself and remembers them being open about what they were doing. One account from the leader of a tank company stated: "'They all pulled up their skirts for us and lay down on the bed... 'Two million of our children were born' in Germany." These men apparently showed no remorse for their actions. It seems likely that the Russians justified their actions with the argument of "revenge" for German actions against Russian civilians. Regardless of the potential controversy and blowup that Beevor likely knew he would face in Russia (the archives were closed very shortly after his work was published), he did not dismiss or brush aside the truth , because it cannot be ignored. In the chapter "Fire Sword and Noble Fury", Beevor writes "Beria and Stalin...knew perfectly well what was happening..." and Stalin said that men should keep a "country wife". After the terrible losses at Stalingrad and the horrific acts committed against their own people by the Germans, this is perhaps an example of rape being used as a weapon of war, which is certainly not uncommon in the 'history. Rape has been used in various wars in an attempt to demoralize, humiliate, and totally annihilate an enemy. Jonathan Gottschall, who wrote an article titled “Explaining Rape in War,” asserts that “wherever men have gone to war, many of them have reasoned like old Nestor in the Iliad…to the troops war-weary Greeks…” so don’t rush to do it. going home until he lies down next to a Trojan's wife. " This seems eerily familiar to the words allegedly spoken by Ilya Ehrenberg that Beevor discovers in his work, encouraging Red Army soldiers to take German women as their "legal spoils." Beevor, throughout the book, in no way seeks to justify the actions of the Red Army. He also found that not only German women were raped, but also Russian women. It is therefore difficult to defend it as a weapon of war. This probably surprised Beevor, because the rape of Soviet women and girls "...completely undermines any attempt to justify the Red Army's behavior through revenge..." He simply gives the reasons why the atrocities were committed, which is his role as a man of war. historian – to be as objective as possible and attempt to explain, through the information contained in one's sources, why certain things happened. Nicky Bird states that Beevor "doesn't add much new to the politics and strategy..." of this World War II period. This may be a valid criticism, but despite much written.